Istanbul in three days was the 'stretch' target and we did it. 2,000 miles, eight countries, got lost once, numerous delays at border crossings (Croatia/Serbia anyone?), and a Kafkaesque entry into Turkey that took over two hours.  But we made it. We crossed Tower Bridge at 9.32am on Sunday 20th July and reached our hotel in Istanbul at 11.30pm on Tuesday 22nd.

Our route took us down the eastern border of France, over into Germany, where we stayed with friends in Memmingen for the night (and who through a midnight party and presented us with the great 1/56 model kit of the plane our car design was based on)

Day two saw us sprint for Belgrade, through Austria (which looked like a less well off version of Germany), Slovenia (a less well off version of Austria), into the vast central plains of Croatia (I think its better known for its coast for a reason), and then into Serbia and a night in Belgrade.  Lively place, even on a Monday night.

The Serbs were a very friendly bunch, but their sense of history was never far from their mind

This is a petrol station 'somewhere in Serbia'.  The squeegee girl on the left was very interested in the map on our bonnet.  So, she bends over, takes a good look, particularly at the different coloured map from Serbia that is Kosovo, and gives me a disapproving look, wags her finger and says '..no Kosovo, all Serbia...'.  To be fair, we discussed the various political disputes that our map inevitably falls into, and decided to leave it as was. Might need a colouring pen for the Crimea bit when we hit Russia mind you!

Tuesday was a long trip through Bulgaria, and getting hideously lost due to an over reliance on the sat nav and an under-reliance on common sense ('ignore the road sign to Istanbul, the sat nav says go that way...'), only to be rescued by two likely local lads and relieved of 35 euros and two packs of Malboro for their trouble (a bargain by the way).

The Turkish border was a painful experience with that all-too-often combo of officiousness and rudeness that goes with these things, but eventually, after a long delay we were on the home stretch.

Then came that phenomenon that is the Istanbul ring road.  Imagine the wildest game of Grand Theft Auto you ever played. Hahaha!  Doesn't even come close. I've driven in some of the maddest spots on earth, but this tops the lot. I'm only glad I was at the wheel as my passengers were having, I think the expression is 'kittens'.

Wednesday was a planned rest day, in the wonderful city of Istanbul and its great people.  More on that later.....for we are off along the Black Sea coast this morning.